A delegation of the European Parliament, headed by Elmar BROK, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, visited Israel, the West Bank and Jordan from 2 January to 6 January. Members discussed the situation in the region with representatives of the government and parliamentarians from the majority and the opposition in Israel, after which they visited the Palestinian Authority and Jordan.

The fight against terrorism, a common concern, was at the heart of most discussions.

The threat that the Islamic State (IS) represents in the region and in Europe calls for joint answers. The various interlocutors recognized that countering the hate speech of terrorists pretending to fight in the name of Islam should be done using all means -education, strategic communication, or cyber security – acknowledging that this is an absolute priority for Jordan and should be for all Muslim countries. For more immediate threats, cooperation between intelligence services is the only valid security option for all countries concerned.

(Source: EP, AFET)